Facets of Dispositional Mindfulness and Health Among College Students

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between the facets of trait mindfulness with psychological and physical health while controlling for health behaviors in college students. Participants: 310 students from a small, private college in the Northeastern United States. Outcome measures: Students completed self-report measures, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Rutgers Alcohol Problems Index (RAPI). Results: After controlling for other health behaviors, the observation facet of mindfulness was negatively associated with physical health. Both acting with awareness and nonjudging facets were positively associated with emotional well-being. For social functioning, nonjudging was a significant positive facet for this domain of health. Conclusions: Tailoring mindfulness-based interventions to enhance these facets may be beneficial to young adults.